Dammit! Dammit! The just-finished Summer 2013 Plant Healer is over 320 pages in length…. a new record, even though we said we’d do our best to keep it smaller – presenting over 120,000 words of herbal wisdom and inspiration, a single magazine issue the size of all but the largest books! We tried, we tried, believe me – but what’s an editor to do when so many excellent articles have been submitted? Get ready for another epic journey across the vast and diverse landscapes of folk herbalism, through a forest of useful tips, recipes, herbal history, wildcrafting, art and lore… a veritable garden of delight. Kiva and I have spent 3 months putting it together, and it’s important to note: we did it for you.

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Early on in this issue we take a moment to mourn our losses and celebrate special lives, beginning with an honoring of herbalist Cascade Anderson Geller who passed away in May. Paul Bergner, Rosalee de la Foret and Rosemary Gladstar share their thoughts and feelings about Cascade, and the Appalachian herbalist Phyllis Light follows with some deep insights inspired by the recent death of her beloved Mama.

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Juliet’s New Column: Flora Julietta

The much loved herbalist teacher Juliet Blankespoor has committed to write a regular quarterly column for us on all-things-herbal. Her first column focuses on estrogen and herbs, and like all her writings, is illustrated by her own astounding photographs. Juliet joins our other respected Plant Healer columnists including Paul Bergner, Matt Wood, Susun Weed, Jim McDonald, 7Song, Sabrina Lutes, and the creatrix of Herbal Roots Zine for kids, Kristine Brown. Thank you for your excellent contribution, Julietta, even as you deal with difficult family challenges, manage your gardens and run a busy school.

New Folkloric & Historic Departments

Plants have their own treasured folklore and mythologies, tales that tell us as much about ourselves as about the herbs themselves. We present to you yet another regular or periodic department, starting with the first in a series of essays by Corinne Boyer and including excellent photos by her husband, focused this time around the magical history and lore of the Elder tree.

A second new department is called “Steampunk Herbalism” and is designed to cover where our “Frontier Herbalism” leaves off: the historic herbal and healing trends, curiosities and fascinations of the Americas circa 1900-1930. We begin with the story of Lydia Pinkham, once a household name and the most recognized woman’t face in the United States. Her back–room herbal tonic business grew into an empire, while she used her spare time to fight for racial and gender equality, and to campaign for more natural lifestyles.

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A Gifting Basket of New Articles

Join us in welcoming our first-time authors, including Erin Piorier who brings us an article on tongue assessment, Wendy Housel presenting on bridging nursing and herbalism, and Arizonan and 2013 Herbal Resurgence teacher John Slattery writing about the fascinating Mexican traditional herbalist Doña Olga Ruiz.

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You’ll also find here everything from detailed plant profiles and recipes to gardening suggestions, maple syrupin’, and Loba’s wild grape leaf meal suggestions. The brilliant and wonderful Virginia Adi is back with another massively researched historical pieces, this time on the archaeopharmacy of the controversial Opium Poppy. Christa Sinadinos blesses us with another piece, this time on Herbal Honey preparations, Melanie Pulla continues her series on the practical means for creating a fulfilling herbal business, Sophia Rose writes about False Solomon’s Seal, Cat Lane shares the trials and joys of being an herbalist for animals, Katja Swift continues her clinical skills series while her mischievous daughter Amber talks about how to make herbal lotions. Christopher Bernard from France and Catherine Skipper both sent pieces on herbal cultivation, and our Resurgence teacher and favorite new feller Sam Coffman brings us articles on both open wound treatment and the edible and medicinal Southwest “gem” Algerita. If you wonder what my partner Kiva Rose means by “Introversion & Otherness” for herbalists, you’ll need to be sure and read her latest column, as usual the issue’s concluding words.

Crucial is Roger Wicke’s classic tome “The Right to Practice,” greatly expanded and updated by Roger here especially for you Plant Healer readers. Everyone practicing or intending to practice herbalism in the current regulatory climate would greatly benefit by this information, including the necessary strategies for avoiding prosecution for “practicing medicine without a license.” Ignoring the threat won’t make it go away, make sure you take the steps needed to protect yourself and your business of helping others.

Juliet Interviewed

Juliet Blankespoor is also the subject of this issue’s Plant Healer Interview. Read about her life and lessons, and benefit from her advice and tips. The complete conversation can be found in the first volume of the book 21st Century Herbalists, now shipping.

New Herbal Conferences Guide

Included this issue is a special 23 page long Conferences Guide penned by myself, Rosemary Gladstar and a large number of other conference organizers, describing a number of annual events for herbalists that you may want to consider attending this year. Part of the mission of both Plant Healer and the Rendezvous is to inspire, seed, assist and support the strengthening of the herbal community far and wide, and this includes helping instigate and publicize conferences besides our own. As the Guide explains, it would great if we could all go to several different venues each year, but with limited time and funds it’s a good idea to decide what our educational and social needs are, and which venues serve these needs best. The guide is also being released separately as a free Ebook, in your Plant Healer bonuses and in general release.

Wendy Hounsel is an amazing woman!!! So much knowledge and compassion for other people! I have known this woman all her life and I have to say she is one of the kindest and gentelist creatures on this earth. She is so very intelligent and has been studying herbs all her life. My niece………….